Which ancient city in Peru is known as the “Lost City of the Incas”?

Machu Picchu is the ancient Inca city often called the “Lost City of the Incas.”

Built high in the Andes of southern Peru, Machu Picchu stands at about 2,430 metres above sea level between the peaks of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Archaeologists generally date its construction to the fifteenth century, during the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti.

The site includes terraces, plazas, ceremonial structures, residences, and carefully fitted stone walls. Its exact purpose remains debated, but evidence suggests it may have served as a royal estate and religious center. The Incas abandoned it in the sixteenth century during the period of Spanish conquest, although the Spanish did not record discovering it.

Hiram Bingham brought international attention to Machu Picchu in 1911, after local residents guided him to the ruins. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and is one of Peru’s best-known cultural landmarks.